CAT5

Ya know, speaking as someone whose tastes lie chiefly outside of VK...I think there's always been an element to D'espa that sounded distinctly non-VK...and even non J-rock to an extent. Your Linkin Park comparisons kinda give a bit of credence to those claims on it's own. But Hizumi's voice...it definitely had a VK tone to it...but his delivery seemed sharper and more...controlled? than a lot of VK vocalists I've heard. He also had a kind of "pizazz" to his delivery that I thought stood out. I don't think I can properly articulate what I mean, but hopefully you kinda get what i'm hinting at. Also, the production quality for [Coll:set] was stellar, but I definitely wouldn't say it was typical of VK or J-rock as a whole. [Coll:set] was pretty densely layered (maybe even overproduced), but also had a really punchy quality to it that I could only poorly describe as "western". So in a way, I can see why you'd want to dismiss them add exclude them from the VK canon, but for those same reasons, I think that's why I've always been fond of them. Mind you, I pretty much stopped caring about their work post-2006. REDEEMER was somewhat "redeeming" tho.

Their output has been a bit hit & miss for me, but they've definitely got my attention, so I'm keeping an eye on them. I like LIQUID VAIN, but those harsh vocals kinda ruin it for me. Really diggin the melodic-punk vibes on 邪崩 tho,

Welcome to the forum! Glad you decided to come out of lurkerdom and join us! Hope you enjoy it here! If you're into old-school VK, you may want to join the Old-school VK club below!

Imma wait until Sunday, but it's good to know that it's worth looking forward to! I didn't find the 3rd ep too engaging.

I've got to listen to it again to really wrap my head around it, but my first impression of the new album was definitely positive!

Here's a recent pic in which I played around with one of those cheesy, sketch filters.

Here's an overdue to welcome then! Hope you enjoy the forum! If you have any questions or concerns or anything, just let us know!

Greetings, MH! Another month, another batch of recommended tracks from the amazing ORZ team! Check them out and let us know what you think! (We apologize if some videos aren't available due to region restrictions!) @plastic_rainbow's Picks "天上天下" by ARCHEMI. "Tenjou Tenge" by ARCHEMI. Using religious themes like Hotokesama - which refers to Buddha - worship and spiritual enlightenment along with a heavy and aggressive sound, ARCHEMI. stands out from most VK bands. They recently gained a new drummer and now continue as a 4 member band once again. Although their new drummer Maya previously performed in a visually brighter band, Aloud, his fast-paced drumming works well with ARCHEMI.'s tumultuous force. Their newest single includes three equally good tracks - the fourth one being an SE - , of which "Tenjou Tenge" is the most refreshing. Instead of rehashing their overdone but brainwashing-in-a-good-way Hotokesama worship, the shouting of 'soiya soiya soiya', the beating of taiko drums, and flute in "Tenjou Tenge" evoke a traditional Japanese spirit. That being said, ARCHEMI. still have their furious bang down with the highly addictive heavy metal riffs and rushed drumming. Listening to ARCHEMI. is like following an underground cult, and the enthralling chants and head bursting screams spewed by Isami will drag you into a dark and calamitous spiritual adventure between heaven and earth. If you've never heard of ARCHEMI., you are totally missing out. "鮮やかな矛盾" by NoGoD "Azayakana Mujun" by NoGoD Picking up in quality again, the year so far has been looking good for NoGoD after the blasting release of Missing several months ago. They continue their successful streak by dropping another outstanding track that is "Azayakana Mujun". It brings back the softer and more poignant sound reminiscent of their indie days. Or to be more specific, I'd say that it carries the very essence of their album Mugenkyou, which was when the band peaked. Danchou's vocals become most effective when he exerts his voice in a wistful way, which he has not done in a while until very recently. In "Azayakana Mujun", the intro begins instantly with Danchou's passionate vocals, but later includes calming spoken word as well. One thing that NoGoD always excel at is the ability to contrast the silent and loud moments in a compelling way. You can especially hear this when the powerful guitar solo follows right after Danchou's soft spoken words backed up by tranquil guitar melodies. If you thought NoGoD would never produce anything as good as what they did in their heyday, I recommend that you check out "Azayakana Mujun" and think again. "昏睡" by SCAPEGOAT "Konsui" by SCAPEGOAT With their sound growing sharper each time, SCAPEGOAT has put out a killer tune yet again. Unlike their previous songs, however, the intensity and beauty of "Konsui" will surely make you listen to it nonstop. Shifting between a heavy and slow tempo, the track manifests the very feeble moment of being torn between life and death. It opens with heavy guitars and the muttering of Haru's sullen voice, giving it a sinister quality. Then, as if a helping hand reaches out to you, the trickling piano miraculously opens a door of light to illuminate a groovy ballad. The mellow guitars and soft bass lines plucked from a double bass barely border on art-kei, and Haru's compelling vocals breathe out a transient repose until all hell breaks loose again. Continuing as they are, I expect that SCAPEGOAT will keep on delivering stellar tracks such as "Konsui". "青年ナイフ" by ニトロデイ "Seinen Knife" by Nitro Day I bring you another great YouTube find, and one that shows a lot of promise! Nitro Day is a very young indie rock band that began activities just last year. Despite being new to the scene they are already growing fast, and with good reason. "Seinen Knife" demonstrates all of the stunning talent from the young 4-piece band. Right from the beginning, the striking high-pitched guitar notes and smooth bass lines lead you to their robust and dynamic sound. The unique and emotive vocals, which might be too nasal for some, are the front wheel that drives the band's gripping momentum, while the more laid-back drummer keeps them in pace. They are one of those bands that can only make you think 'they’re cool' as you listen in awe. If I have to describe their sound though, they are like an alternative noise rock band with an emo and punk edge. Nitro Day are already receiving comparisons with huge J-indie acts like Number Girl and Bloodthirsty Butchers and could be the next band to lead the increasingly stagnant scene. I insist that you give them a listen now. "Sorry, I Am Not" by SHE TALKS SILENCE SHE TALKS SILENCE is a minimal noise and shoegaze DIY solo project led by Minami Yamaguchi that began way back around 2009. She's had a few supporting members in the past, but has been working completely solo again starting this year after her drummer left to pursue her own music path. In the early days of SHE TALKS SILENCE, Minami was very rough in her music writing, but has improved greatly over the years with better production as well. The newest song she wrote, "Sorry, I Am Not", comes from an album of the same title released this month, which also compiles her older songs from when the drummer was still around. In "Sorry, I Am Not", Minami sings in her whispery style, as she always does, accompanied by eerie guitar melodies, a constant bass drum, and clattering noises, making it one of her more haunting songs. Still, there remains a tangible sweetness from her gentle voice that floats like an angel's feather amidst the dark atmosphere. I admit that the choppy bass lines do need some polishing, but the simple melodies and mellowness of noise as expressed by SHE TALKS SILENCE may be for you if you've never heard of them. @qotka's Pick "雨” by 游彩 "Ame" by Yusai While desperately searching, which is what I call mindlessly droning through YouTube these days, for some new decent angura-kei to heal my weaboo heart, I ran into a band called Zin on several occasions. Zin were a sweet yet hardly memorable mixture of that traditional-Japanese-sound infused rock and oshare-kei pop. This fragile bunch disbanded late last year only to reemerge as Yusai a few months later, sporting a more leathery look and slight stage-name changes. "Ame" is Yusai's second single and it paves their way into a darker, somewhat more sophisticated form of existence. The intro almost sounds like a generic start to a nu-metal anthem, but it breaks down into a solid, mid-tempo ballad that elegantly mixes in a sequence of electric shamisen chords without making it sound forced or artificially glued onto the track. But what made me go back for a ridiculous number of listens this past month was Rui Amane's laid-back vocals. His voice is not exceptional but he knows how and when to use it, keeping it on the low side for most of the track and saving those miserable, characteristically v-kei wails only for when they're really called for to create maximum impact. Another thing to notice about "Ame" is the great bass work, especially after the first chorus. If you like your bass strong and distinct, I recommend listening to this one with headphones on. Only time will tell what will become of Yusai in the long run, but they're definitely off to an interesting (re)start. @emmny's Pick "虚言癖" by DAMY "Kyogenheki" by DAMY I don't think it's any surprise that the more 'heavy' or 'abare' styled bands are more or less flopping lately, as the songwriting tends to be subpar compared to more melody-loving bands. It's a problem DAMY had suffered from in the past as well, with sloppy song structures and messy playing made up for only by the pure aggression and despair conveyed by the band. They have hinted at their abilities with "Obutsu" from their last album, but never quite hit that peak again. Every once in a while, a bop comes out of the indies scene so damn good that everyone--ghost writers, bandmen, fans of other bands--are left clutching their pearls, permanently shook. Much to everyone's surprise, mine included, "Kyogenheki" is that song. They've definitely got a new ghost writer stepped their game up all the way around and wrote a cohesive, heavy-yet-melodic banger that doesn't sound like a DEZERT song but definitely keeps that influence obvious. The most notable change here is in the percussion and vocals department, with Ryo taking out the over-the-top zetsubou vocalizations and replacing it with Chiaki's signature sing-talk-whatever while still keeping his whine in there. Miharu, once a roadie for DEZERT is starting to show off his chops, with an incredibly rhythmic drum line and sharp little frills and fills that definitely recall his mentor's drumming style. I don't have enough good things to say about this, DAMY have definitely established themselves as serious contenders. @helcchi's Pick "⚪︎と×" by ザアザア "Maru to Batsu" by Xaa-Xaa Xaa-Xaa are exceptionally adept at writing ballads, with Kazuki's soulful voice compellingly conveying emotion and psychological conflict. Their newest release "Maru to Batsu", continues their creative streak. While "Maru to Batsu" might not be as haunting as 2015's "Yukidokei" nor as sorrowful as last year's "Shizuku", those upbeat tunes still hit you with sentimentality, for they are sure to evoke a wave of nostalgia. Working early 00s melodicism into a repeating chorus that's strongly reminiscent of "endless loop" by ROUAGE, and with a sound that's manifesting in Kagerou's influence, "Maru to Batsu" is an injection of all the feels. Let this song transport you back into the past. @tetsu_sama69's Pick "burst" by Zill I have an extreme weakness when it comes to anything Cra gets herself wrapped up in, even if it usually only ends up being something temporary. I am hoping that Zill is something that ends up having a much longer lifetime, as their first release Adam is already overflowing with potential. All three tracks on the single are very strong, but "burst" ended up getting my attention. It's got a catchy rhythm that gives you such a rush of energy it's hard to sit still while listening to it. The breakdowns give "burst" the chance for you to enjoy a fair bit of headbanging fun between the melodic full course meal that Zill delivers. If you find yourself thirsting for a visual band that relies purely on musical prowess instead of synths and metalcore, then Zill will definitely sate your tastes. @The Reverend's Pick "Dystopia -Vanishing Point-" by Boris You know how songs get labeled 'epic' just cause they're kinda longer than normal? Even though Boris often deserve it, I am going to purposefully not levy that trite praise on the penultimate track from their new album Dear (even though it is twelve minutes long!) The first half of "Dystopia" is really just a chance to set the stage for the climactic guitar solo that makes up the last five minutes of the song. Kind of like someone shushing you because the good part of a a movie they've already seen is coming up soon. And what a guitar solo it is! It sounds like a savant who has never actually touched a musical instrument got handed a guitar; the first couple minutes are full of awkward tone and fits and starts while this hypothetical 6-string genius gets comfortable with the instrument prior to unleashing some magic. But as soon as it comes together, boy is this song powerful! Alternatively, I'd compare it to those baby giraffes that stumble around immediately after being born, but before you know it are galloping confidently with their mothers. Not quite the usual doom/noise dirge preferred by Boris when they write such long songs, "Dystopia" is certainly full of melancholy, but is also undeniably beautiful. Check this one out if you've been scared off by how *dense* the band usually is! @CAT5's Pick "声飛行" by Gutevolk "koe hikou" by Gutevolk It's been seven years since singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Gutevolk (Hirono Nishiyama) released an album, but she's back in full effect with the leading track from her upcoming release titled, Gutevolk no koe hikou -Hello Tiny People!I Will Catch You-. "koe hikou" sports a prominent, pop-style beat, which instantly sets it apart from the subtle instrumental subtlety of Nishiyama's past works. Outside of that, however; this is vintage Gutevolk. Whispery, dreamlike vocals? Check. Whimsical, childlike melodies? Yep. Colorful, beautifully layered instrumentation? Of course! All the charm of Nishiyama's lighthearted indie-pop has remained perfectly intact over nearly a decade of radio-silence. The album sounds set to be a winner! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Thanks for checking out our recommendations this month! If you have any thoughts on the list, or if you have any recommendations of your own, we look forward to seeing your comments below!

Thanks man. TK 's songwriting has become so lazy that's it's almost offensive I guess that's his "brand" now, though...Looks like this song is gonna be used for anime or something? I feel like i've heard the song a million times before already, so I just feel incredibly indifferent to it, but knowing me, I'll probably still end up liking it down the road. =/

I believe I registered on batsu back around 06 or so, but never actually participated or visited the site much. At any rate, welcome to MH! Hope you enjoy it here!

Welcome back! Hope you find some new stuff to get into!

The 2011 album is pretty great, but I admit I haven't gone back and listened to the others ones. I should eventually, though. Which release is your favorite?

^ Yeah, hopefully a new album is in the works. The new song is a bit disjointed, but I do like it. I also noticed that the thumbnail for all three PVs features a cap of a different member, respectively. I wonder if that was intentional?

Bruh, me and @Chi were literally just talking about this. I randomly came across a screencap JUST LAST NIGHT of my old last.fm, and funnily enough, I believe that's one of your accounts under "friends listening now", heh. I miss that feature!

The "harsh" vocals sound a bit silly, but I like it otherwise.

This will be good, no doubt.

That sounds pretty damn good!